Holding on at 300 feet: A day in the life of a wind turbine worker

Fixing wind turbines isn’t an easy job. Being up in the air at higher than 300 feet, changing filters or greasing bearings on a wind turbine can bring about challenges. This job isn’t for the faint of heart.

Cameron Short, maintenance technician at Enbridge Inc., loves his job, because it isn’t the same thing every day. “Even though you’re doing the same job, you’re basically in a different office every day,” he says. He adds that maintaining these turbines is an essential part of their lifespan. “It’s just like a vehicle, if you don’t change the oil or filters in your car – just doing preventative maintenance – it’s not going to run good,” Cameron says. “It’s the same thing with the wind turbines. As long as you’re taking care of it properly, it’s going to last.”

In 2014, wind energy was responsible for about 24 percent of the new sources of electricity generated in the U.S., according to a U.S. Department of Energy report. Curious about how much power these turbines bring to the table? If you had a one megawatt turbine on land, it could potentially power about 300 homes, according to the Wind Energy Foundation. 3M provides wind turbine owners with a variety of product options. These products are designed to enhance reliability, improve performance and provide protection against weathering and harsh environments. For Cameron, that’s a big part of the job, but not the only reason he loves what he does.